Direction indicator for automobiles



1 May 1927 R. WARDHAUGH DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed March 27. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a R fl W MU Ma e m 1w L h g m W a 4 L I P 5 w/u\ WW 5 I JWW ATTORNEYS WITNESSES May 17, 1927.

R. WARDHAUGH DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed March 2 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I 1 I,

INVENTOR paw BY WITNESSES ATTORNEYS Patented Ma, 17, .1927.

UNITED; .STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH WARDHAUGH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

DIRECTION INOICATOB FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed March 27, 1925. Serial No. 18,870.

This invention relates to automobile signallingdevices and particularly to a direc-.

tion indicator for the rear of automobiles and has for anobject to provide a construc? tion which may be used. on closed cars for easily andquickly indicating the intention of-the' driver to a following car,

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved direction indicator for 1 automobiles wherein a constant signal is maintained centrally of the indicator and s gnal means radiating therefrom in four directions for indicating the turningof the.

automobile or other action to be taken.

A further object, more specifically, is to provide a direction indicator for automobiles wherein theparts may be readily mounted in the rearwindow of a closed car. and easily connected up to the steering post- 2 of the automobile so thatthe parts may function accurately and may be installed or removed without injuring the car.

In the accompanying; drawings' Figure 1 is a rear view'of art of a closed car'withan embodiment o the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary 'scc- Figure-6 is a diagram showing the ar- 4 'ra'ngement of conductors.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates an automobile of .any desired kind, as for instance, a. closed car having a' window 2. Arranged in the window 2 is a cross-shaped indicating. mom

" her 3 whichis connected with suitable wiring as show nfin Figure- 6 ,wlrereby, member 3may be pro erly;illuminated through the action of the rake or through-,a 'manual actuation of switches on the steering post. As

indicated iniFigure 1, the structure shown in Figure 3'is provided with a central signal lamp compartment 4 and lamp compart-- I "ments' 5, 6, 7 and 8. Compartments Sand 6 are provided with suitable indicating means to'indicateright and left while the compart-- ments 7 and 8 have the words Back and I Stop arranged thereon. Interiorly of the structure 3 are arranged suitable lamps as hereinafter described for illuminating these different direction legends. Meanshave been provided as hereinafter described for .per-

- mitting the driver ofthe car toclose-the circuit of any one of the lampsor all ofthe' lamps at the same time.

As. shown particularly 1n Figures 2, 3 and" 4, lamps 9,10 and 11.are provided in the chambers '4, 7 and 8 while similar lamps 12 and 13 are proi ided in the chambers or compartmentsand 6. The structure. 3 is provided with a cross-shaped housing 14 (Fig--- ures 3 and 5), Saidlmusing'being preferably of metal and connected to the various,

glass panes 15 at the front by any suitable strips... On the glass panes 5 are arranged the Various legends indicating direction. as shown in Figure 1. A'hinge 16 is connected to the uppencnd of the housing 14 and-is also preferably connected tothe upper member 17 of the frame-of window 2. w A plate 18 is eonnectedto they-lower member. of the" frame 2 by screws. or other means, said plate having'a bifurcated portion or slot 19' ar- .ranged at-the front for accommodating theclarnping screw ,20 which is carried by an ear 21 connected with the frame 14 andpro: jecting therefrom. By tightening the screw 1 when in the position shown in Figures 2 and 5, the parts are locked against 'movement. W'henever this screw is loosened, the

frame 14 may be swung upwardly out of the way-and then back again into position if desired. Centrally ofthe frame .14' is formed a socket on openings2'2. In this socket :oropening a-plate 23' is fitted, said plate being held in place bysuitable clamp ing members or latches 24. The plate 23 is preferably formed of insulating material, as

for instance, fiber and carries an electric socket 25 as well as contact sprlngs '26, 27,

28 and 29. A suitable lamp socket 30 is provided for each of'th'e lamps" 10 to 13 inclusive, said sockets permitting the central contact of the lamps to projectginto the 'chamher 4 so that whenblock 23 is inserted into position as shown in Figure 2, these spring contacts will engage the central contact of 'each lamp for closing the circuit at thispoint. From the various c0ntacts26-to 2 9 inclusive and socket 25, wires extend to i 'sui'tablesource of currentand to the steerin post as shown in Figure 6." One side of the i i lamp 11 will remain lighted as long as the pedal 51 is depressed. When the driver expects to move backwardly, he will first close the circuit of lamp by closing the switch various lamp sockets may be grounded or may be connected to suitable return wires without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. I v

As indicated in Figure 6, a supply or bus conductor 31 ext-ends from the source of current 32 to one Side of the yarious lamps and from the opposite side extend suitable return lwires. From lamps 9. 10,12 and 13 extend wires 33, 34, 35 and 36. A wire37 extends from one side of lamp' 1.1 to a contact 38 co-acting with the contact bar 39,

which bar also co act's with a'contact 40 connected with wire 41. An auxiliary wire 41' extends from the wire 41 to the upper part.

of the steering post 42 where it is connected to the various contacts 43. 44. 45 and 46.

f From thewiring just described. contacts 43 to 46 arecontinually charged and also contact 40.- Wires 33 to 36 are connected to the respective contacts47, 48. 49 and 50 so that Whenever any of the switches associated with the contacts 43 to 46 are closed. current will flow. with contact 43 is shown closed whereby, it

In Figure ,6 the switch associated will be noted'that' current will pass from battery .32 through wire 31-. to-lanip .9.

through lamp 9 to wire 33 and through wire 33 "to contact 50, contact 43. wire 41 and finally through wire 41 back to battery 3:2. Ordinarily, this lamp is maintained lighted at all. times while the other lamps arelighte'l from time to timeasmeeded. It will be noted that in order to light the lamp 11 which is positioned in the chamber 8 back of the word Stop it is necessary to operatethe brake pedal 51 of the automobile.

As'soon as this has been done, the circuit will be closed through contacts 38, 39 and 40 and on contact 45 and. will thenproceed to op- I crate the car to move the same back the desired distance. If he desires to more to the left, the circuit of lamp 13 will be closed in a similar manner or if he desires to move to the right the circuit of'lamp 12 vwill be closed. If desired, in a case of emergency or other reason, all of the switches-at the contacts 43 to 46 might be simultaneously 'closed and, consequently, all of the indicatingmembers on the structure 3'wil1' be illuminated which would quickly attract the attention of a following car so that a rear said armssan electric lamp socket carried, by said, block and a plurality of contacts carried-by said block, said contacts'projecting to point to be engaged by 'the respec tive center contacts of the'lamps in said arms. 1

2. A'casing for direction indicators for' automobiles, comprising abody including a.

plurality of hollow arms radiating from a central'point, a removable block at said central\ point. anvelectric lamp carried by said block. and a plurality of spring contacts carried by said block projecting to a point near the respectivehollow arms, and means a lamp with its center contact-in engagementwith oneof said sprlng contacts.

' RALPH WARDHAUGH..V\

.in each of said hollow arms for supporting 

